Another Awesome Day!

Don is making so much progress, it’s hard to report it in a meaningful way. Today he made great strides in standing, moving parts of his body, getting into and out of bed, etc. I just want to report a few things of significance.

The first is this tape system that therapist Pam put on his right hand yesterday. The right hand was most affected by his stroke on the left side of his brain, and it has been tingling, sometimes painful, numb and swollen, and mostly unusable.

If you look closely, you can tell the tape has been cut into strips and wrapped around the ends of his fingers. After a day, the ends of the tape are starting to come loose. However, between yesterday afternoon when Pam applied the tape and this morning when I arrived, all the swelling has disappeared from Don’s hand! And he says it’s not nearly as sensitive. This therapy is from Japan, and I’m going to research it if I can to learn more. The hand is still numb, but during OT this afternoon, he was able to pick up items with movements he’s been unable to do before. What a step forward! We’re calling Pam the witch therapist, because this seems like witchcraft!

One of the first tasks he was given today by OT therapist Luis was to pick up pegs from a tub with his right hand, put them on the bench, then pick up one at a time with his left hand and place them into the pegboard. Notice he’s standing up to do this! And he was able to grab a handful of the pegs with his weak right hand, as well as help support himself while standing.

By the end of the session, he had put pegs in all of the outline of a cross pattern on the board.

He stood up more than 10 times today, sometimes without assistance. His legs are getting stronger and his core body strength is improving. And he later used his right hand to pick up bean bags and toss them into frames on the floor, and bat a ball, then a balloon back to the therapist. It’s amazing to see how much progress he’s making in such a short time.

But the best part is his spirit and sense of humor are back. He’s making jokes with everyone who comes into his room, telling stories, and generally enjoying being alive!

In the early afternoon our friends Ken & Jan Tilton came for a visit. Their timing couldn’t have been better, between lunch and another therapy session. Sharing hugs and chatting with friends we’ve met and traveled with in our RVs is great for both of us. Sorry I didn’t get a picture of Ken & Jan, but I’m so thankful for their visit, as it lifted both my and Don’s spirits. We really appreciate the support and wonderful HUGS!